CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 140, 15 June 1936, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE

PRICE FIXING

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—ln spite of threats from Cabinet Ministers, prices are rising daily, a penny or twopence on cheaper articles and sixpence or a shilling on more expensive ones. The explanation oflered, of course, being that the 40-hour week and increased wages render it, necessary, though neither is yet in operation. ElTorts of the Government, so far, in that direction include the fixation of rents, a measure manifestly unfair to the majority of landlords, and now we are to have a Bill to "prevent" price raising, in other words legislation to justify legislation, by locking the stable door after the horse is stolen.

Is it possible, Sir, to fix the prices of ten thousand articles of commerce or to effectively tie the hands of the many thousands whose living depends upon buying and selling those goods? We are looking forward to the restoration of I'cuts," but after we have seen the promised Budget we may find that we have received the "Irishman's rise." I am, etc., DUBITAT. PHARMACY EXAMINATIONS (To the Editor.) Sir, —Please allow me space to correct Mr. T. H. McCombs's impression that State school students are penalised at the pharmaceutical examinations. Mr. McCombs states that State school students must obtain 50 per cent, at the pharmacy examinations, while students attending the College of Pharmacy are granted passes for a 40 per cent, paper. This is incorrect. In the first case State schools do not coach students for the pharmacy examinations. In some cases a candidate may deceive special coaching for the Sec. B examination, but in no State school is it possible to receive coaching for the final examination. Secondly, a student from the College of Pharmacy has 10 per cent, of the marks he obtains added to his total; thus to give him the 50 per cent, necessary for a pass he must obtain at least 46 per cent. The College of Pharmacy, opened since I qualified, gives the student a thorough course in pharmacy, which is more than some of the students receive.

A special committee, set 1 up to deal with the position, must be congratulated on bringing before Parliament the deplorable condition of the pharmaceutical profession in New Zealand at the present time. There certainly are, as the Minister stated, too many selling points, but here's the rub—any benefits received by those left with shops, consequent upon fewer selling points, will be immediately offset by reduced prices for prescriptions and increased pay for assistants. As I see it the only way to remedy the matter is to have a union (to prevent small wage competition), regulate th' 6 number of apprentices, and confine to chemists the sale of all medicinal lines such as patent medicines, etc. As most manufacturers advertise their remedies at a certain price there would be no profiteering, and resulting from the increased business I have little doubt that chemists would be able to dispense prescriptions at a lower rate and receive a fair return for their services. I am, Sir, r.ot an employer, but one of the large army of . employees—l am, etc., 4 J. W. HARRIS. | USURY (To the Editor.) Sir,—ln his statement on Usury the Rev. Father J. A. Higgins makes a very wide and sweeping statement when he says that had war loans been declared unproductive and non-interest-bearing, there would have been no Great War and Europe would.not now be in its restless state. Although war loans have helped to a great extent to aggravate the position, the assumption that they are the root evil of war and its aftermath conditions is not quite correct. With the systems of governments now prevailing in Germany, Italy, and Japan, and many other fiations, somewhat similar to what existed in Germany and Austria in 1914, if these nations were balked of raising loans they would confiscate the whole wealth of their own countries, victories in the field would help in the financial markets of countries not involved.

The Reverend Father has lost sight of the fact that, although there is sufficient room on the earth, we are living in a "machine age," and the human races must adjust themselves .to this age. This can be done by scientific curtailment in the growth of the races. Rations who are overcrowded in their own countries and who persist in their policy of "keeping the cradles full" are equipping that surplus population into a weapon of war, creating life to destroy life. Children are not long out of their cradles till they become' toy soldiers.

We talk of a return to the moral laws, and the older the world gets the more we get away from them, nationalism submerges religion when war comes: Is it not a fact that in some countries it is the social system that is collapsing? • War loans or the Great War haVe.n'o relation to the Spanish upheaval. Armaments are not always a menace, not in the case of Britain at any rate. The greatest democracy this world has known must, survive, even if it means heavy taxation to the people. . Our great birthright cannot be given up without a fight. I 'say this with the full knowledge of the futility and evilness of war. Usury is a word that should have its meaning altered, as it is connected with all branches of life, at least something akin to usury.—l am, etc., ALBION ROVER. PARLIAMENT BROADCASTS (To the Editor.) Sir, —In replying to my letter, Mr. Ormond Wilson says that I inferred that Mr. Atmore was chosen to speak because he supported the Bill. This is not a correct interpretation of what I wrote. What I did say was that Mr. Atmorc supported the Bill, and then I suggested that the (fovernment could find out the attitude Independents were going to adopt, and if they were going to support the measure, they could arx-ange for one of their members to stand down, so that there would be an equal number of- debaters on each side.

Mr. 'Wilson says that it was Mr. Atmore's turn to speak, and that it was mere chance that brought Mr. Atmore and the State Advances Corporation Bill together On the one night, and suggested that if a different rotation had been arranged, the* speaker might have been Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. Wright, ■Mr. McDougal, or Mr. Sexton. Thank you, Mr. Wilson, for bringing Mr. Wilkinson's name to my mind, for I now find that Mr. Wilkinson has not been heard over the air in a debate, and as Mr. Atmore had been heard in a previous Parliamentary broadcast it was hardly his turn again or perhaps even mere chance. I am perfectly aware that Ministers do frequently reply during Commitee stages, but I do suggest that under the circumstanccs Mr. Nash could have been a little generous and replied once only, so that wc could have heard another Opposition speaker. Apparently Mr. Wilson is perfectly

satisfied that there has been an equal distribution of speakers, but how can he justify the allocation for the debate on the Broadcasting Bill, when Mr. Jones, Mr. Clyde Carr, Mr. Fraser, and Mr. McDougal spoke in favour and Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Hargest against? It would hardly need a stop watch to ascertain that the Government 'and its supporters were on the air much longer than the Opposition.—l am, etc., LET THERE BE LIGHT. INCREASED RATES / (To the Editor.) Sir,—-In discussing recent legislation, most o£ us have overlooked its effect upon municipal rating, yet the Mayor tells us that it will add about £70,000 to cost of city services, to be raised by increased rating or curtailment of services. We may fairly accept this sum as a minimum, for in the coming "time of prosperity" economies will not be popular. One may at least hope that the City Council will bn courageous enough to add costs to services rendered, e.g., as represented in tram fares, etc., rather than inflict them all on the rates.

It is as well, in a democratic community, that we should all pay our share and understand why we are paying it. One may note that the incidence of increased rates will not be equitable, since those who live in their own houses will pay, whilst those who live in rented houses will not; the landlord must add increased rates to his present losses. I suggest that the point might well be taken up by the Ratepayers' Association, for I fail to see how the Government could refuse, in all fairness, to allow landlords to add increased rates to present rentals. This matter does not affect Wellington only, but every township in New Zealand, and one would be interested ■in seeing the views in print of your public-spirited newspaper.—l am. ctc., A RATEPAYER.

A BETTER UNDERSTANDING (To tlie Editor.) Sir,—A feature of the policy of the present Government is an honest attempt to restore to many thousands a sense of self-reliance and independence. In Parliamentary debate the term "idealist" was frequently misapplied by members of the Opposition. It is idealism and not realism that lifts men out of the rut of this worlds clogging materialism. Had the former Government possessed breadth of vision and looked beyond the dark clouds that pressed so hard on humanity, more popular favour would have reflected itself in place of bitterness and discontent. In a world today of complex international problems it is apparent that notwithstanding all difficulties confronting statesmen, nations are really trying to find a basis of better understanding. Progress may be slow, but who will deny that as a consequence of such efforts the net result is gain, and the world is just a little better for it?

The call today is for leaders who will temper their wisdom, and vigour, with humanity. Never before in the history of even this small outpost of the Empire has such an opportunity existed to plan to reach an ideal that will in some degree safeguard the majority from the ruthlessness of materialism. It is an indisputable truth that a policy, or plan of rehabilitation, based on a system built upon more minds than one, is always of more strength or efficiency, than that which is produced by the mere working of one mind. With the present Government this is no longer an ideal but an accomplished fact. There are very few who will own themselves to a mistake but judging by a recent statement in the Press the Prime Minister at least pos-1 sesses the courage and frankness to promise that if the Government discovers it has made mistakes then, these mistakes will be rectified. This is surely a worthy ideal and indicates we now have a Prime Minister who appreciates security is built upon trust, and trust upon confidence of one another's integrity.—l am, etc., T. A. FRASER.